Sealing means for wirebound boxes



Jan 28, 1936. 1 RQSENMUND I 2,029,124

SEALING MEANS FOR WIREBOUND BOXES Filed March 3, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Alfred l Rosenmunci igww Haw ATTORNEYS.

Jan. 28, 1936.

A. L. ROSENMUND SEALING MEANS FOR WIREBOUND BOXES Filed March 3, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

"M AT T ORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 28, 1936 UNITED TATS FATENT @FFEE Alfred L. Rosenmund, Rockaway Borough, N. 3.,

assignor to stapling Machines 60., a corporation of Delaware Application March 3, 1934, Serial No. 713,833

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a sealing means and method for wirebound boxes and particularly for wirebound boxes in which the wire ends are provided with bights or loops hooked together to releasably complete the continuity of the wire bindings.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a simple and practical seal for the purpose described which is inexpensive to manufacture and capable of rapid application.

Another object is to provide a seal which when applied to the united or hooked wire ends will be held thereby against displacement and will so cover the united or hooked ends as to prevent disconnecting or unhooking them without first breaking the seal.

Another object is to provide a seal which when applied to joined ends, cannot be opened without so mutilating the seal as togive evidence of the opening thereof.

Another object is to provide a seal which may be rapidly and easily unsealed.

Another object is to provide a method of effectively sealing wire ends and more particularly ends provided with bights or loops hooked together.

Other objects will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, arrangements of parts, and in the several steps and relation and order of each of the same to one or more of the others, all as will be illustratively described herein, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the subjoined claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which is shown one of the various possible embodiments of my invention and in which the several steps of my method are illustratively indicated:-

Figure l is a perspective View of the top of my seal before its application to the wire ends of a box.

Fig. 2 is a perspective vertical sectional view of my seal taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a sealing or crimping tool which may be used in the application of the seal.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a wirebound box showing the various steps in sealing the wire ends.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the box in Fig. 4 showing the first step in the application of the seal.

Fig. 6 is a similar perspective view showing the second step in the application of the seal.

Fig. 7 is a similar perspective View showing the third step in the application of the seal.

Fig. 8 is a similar perspective view showing the fourth step in the application of the seal.

Fig. 9 is. a similar perspective view showing the 5 fifth step in the application of the seal.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts through the several views of the drawings.

As conducive to a clearer understanding of my invention it might here be pointed out that 10 the sealing and unsealing of wire ends or the like by a metal seal is subject to many conditions which lend not only inconvenience but timeconsuming labor to an otherwise simple operation. Many seals are not only difficult to put on 15 due to their stiffness but are extremely difficult to remove without a special tool or without irreparably damaging the binding wire or the like. Those which are not so stiff are ineffective as seals because of their tendency to break or become dislocated in the handling of the box. Other prior seals are characterized by unduly expensive construction.

Referring now to Fig. 1, there is generally indicated at It! a strip of preferably ductile metal as, for example, cold-rolled iron or a zinc alloy. Strip IE! may be of any suitable weight according to the strains to which it is subjected and is preferably of uniform thickness throughout.

Strip I0 comprises a central portion II pro- 30 vided with a longitudinal slot I2, an end portion I3, and another end portion I4. The free end of portion I3 which is preferably rounded and equal in width to body portion I I is provided with a slot !5 running cross-wise the strip ID a distance 35 from the adjacent end of the slot I2. As more clearly shown in Fig. 2, the ends of slot I5 which are designated respectively I5a and I5b, are substantially spaced from edges Mia and I0b of strip ID, to provide integral portions I6 and I! to maintain the strength of strip I U and accordingly prevent a rupture between body portion II and end I3, all as will be more fully described hereinafter.

End It may be formed by cutting or stamping strip I0 to form inwardly extending edges I8 and I 9, ldngitudinally extending edges 20 and 2|, and a rounded free end I ia. Edges 20 and 2| are preferably co-extensive in parallel relationship. 50 End I4 hereinafter referred to as the tongue of strip i0, is preferably slightly less in width than the length of slot I5, and slot I5 is preferably slightly wider than the thickness of tongue I4, so that the tongue I4 may be readily passed through slot l5 for the purpose and in the manner hereinafter described.

Referring now to Fig. 4, there is generally indicated at 22 a box bound by any suitable number 'of wires, for example, by wires 23, 24, 25 and 26,

which are preferably secured to the sides of the box'by a suitable number of staples 21.

As more clearly shown in Fig. 5, the ends-of the wire 24- are previded wdth bights or loops 24a and 24b, bight 24a being positioned within bight 241). However, before bight 24a is so positioned, strip it is placed upon it so that the bight enters slot l2 until strip IE3 is positioned preferably substantially below the top 2200 of the box 22. Bight 24a is then forced outwardly and downwardly into the position shown in Fig. 6 so that it lies across body I l of strip l0. During this operation bight 24b is bent over the corner edge ofbox 22 so that it lies substantially in the same plane as bight 24a.

Under certain conditions it might be desirable that both bights were so positioned and bent as to lie on the top 22a of box 22 instead of the side thereof. In that event bight 24b is inserted in slot 2 before being placed within bi ht 2%, the bight then being bent and drawn together substantially as pointed out above, except in the opposite direction. 7,

As best shown in Fig. '7, after the bights 24a and 24b are drawn tightly together, tongue I4 is bent over the hooking engagement between the bights 24a. and 2412.

the tongue l4 lies adjaeent to and in alignment with the slot I5. Tongue I l is then inserted in -s1ot l5, and the end IE of strip l0 and the inserted tongue M are bent into an outwardly extending position, as more clearly shown in Fig. 8. While in this position tongue l4 and end l3 are secured together in any suitable manner, but preferably by crimping. A suitable crimping tool forthis purpose is shown in Fig. 3 and designated 28. It is provided with crimping jaws 29 and 39 adapted to pierce and crimp tongue l 4 and'en d l3, thus securing them together. The crimp (designated 3! in the drawings) is preferably of such a character and shape that after end I3 and tongue 14 are pulled apart, the crimped portions thereof are so mutilated and damaged that the W crimp cannot be restored withoutleaving evi- In this position the end of 7 Among the many advantages that accrue to a seal and method of seaiing as described herein are inexpensive manufacture, rapid production, easy application, sturdy and durable sealing, and ease of unsealing. v

Thus it be seen that I have provided a thoroughly practical and efficient seal and method of sealing, in which the several objects re ferred to hereinabove, as well as many others, are successfully and practically accomplished.

" "As many possible embodiments may be made of the mechanical features of the above inven' 'tion and as the art herein described might be varied in various parts, all without departing from the scope of the invention, it is to be understood :that all matter hereinabove set forth or shown in'the accompanying drawings to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

.I claim:

1. In combination with a wirebound box having interengaged bights formed on the wire ends at the closing corner of the box, a seal comprising, a metallic strip having pair of slots extendin therethrough, one of said slots running substantially centrally and longitudinally of the strip to receive one cf the bights on the end of the wire binding prior to interengagement of the bights, and the other of said slots running at substantially a right angle to the first slot and spaced therefrom and from that end of the strip,

piercing and crimping the metal of the strip to seal the encasement of the interengaged bights.

2. In combinationwith a wirebound box having interengaged wire ends at 'the'closing corner of the box, a seal comprising a metallic strip having a pair of slots extending therethrough, ene

of said slots be irig located centrally of; the strip to receive one of the wire ends prior tointerengagement of the wire ends, and the other of said slots being located intermediate the first slot and one end of the strip, a tongue at the other end of the stripv bent over the interengaged wire ends and extending through the second slot to encase the interengaged wire ends, the tongue and the opposite end of the stripbeing united by piercing and crimping, the metal of the strip to seal the encasement of the interengaged wire ends.

L. ROSENMUND, 

